Page 29 of Beautiful Liar

“Why?

“Why do you want to know?”

“Do you always answer a question with a question?”

His lip lifted in a smirk, revealing a dimple on his cheek. It gave him a more approachable expression. If it wasn’t for the madness he exuded, he would’ve been worth a flirty remark, at least.

“Luca,” he said. “My name is Luca Mancini.”

Chapter Twelve

Kieran

Luca Mancini made his first move.

“Look,” Dasher said. The guy had thinned, turned pricklier, and was always in pain. I didn’t trust Dasher with much, but we both cared about Tomás, so I trusted Dasher with this. Fox sat in the armchair, legs extended, fingers steepled in front of him, eyes on the floor. “I wouldn’t have come if I didn’t think Tomás was a target. But Luca was there specifically for him. He knew where to find him. Something feels off.”

I’d already known through Morgan that Luca had met Tomás, but Morgan hadn’t been part of the conversation between them. Dasher winced as he sat down and rubbed his thigh. “What are you going to do?”

I growled. “I’m going to drag him back here and keep him under watch.”

Dasher chuckled. “That won’t work on Tomás. I suggest a different approach.” He winced again when he got to his feet. Fox gave him a sideways glance, his expression slightly stiff. After the hazing, Dasher had completely cut off Fox. Not that I would’ve cared had Dasher not been Tomás’s best friend. “Be nice to him,” Dasher said, cutting off my thoughts. “It’s really easy.”

Fox snorted.

“I could be nice,” I defended. Though I had no clue how to be nice.

“I know it’s not easy for you possessive dicks to be nice, but I’m not equipped to protect Tomás. And right now, he hates you.”

“What did I do?” I asked, still on the defense.

Dasher shook his head. “Clueless.”

“Why the fuck do you care?” Fox finally asked.

“Because he’s my best friend and that means something to me.” Dasher lifted his blue eyes to me. “So be nice and stop fucking shit up.”

“I could be nice,” I said to Fox who glared at me. “Fuck you. I could be nice. I’m going to be so fucking nice I’m going to make you puke.”

Dasher walked out chuckling with a whispered, “You guys are so clueless.”

I dropped on the chair Dasher vacated and thought about dragging Tomás back to his room, our room, and locking him in there until he saw reason. That would be better than trying to be fuckingnice.“I need a locksmith,” I told Fox.

“River is gone.”

The abrupt conversation shift brought me back to reality. I’d heard River leave this morning and the subsequent Wren meltdown.

“Wren is fucked up. There’s something going on with him and it’s not just River leaving. He’s hiding something.”

“Lies between us cause dissention.” I heard myself say without wanting to say it. But it was the truth. Lies could not be tolerated amongst us. Secrets, broken oaths, were all a prelude to self-destruction.

I had said those words. And I had lied about the most fundamental part of me. I leaned forward, unable to even look at my best friend. “I’m gay,” I said.

“And you’re also a moron if you think we give a shit. If you think that changes anything between us.”

“I know.”

“Do you?” The anger in his voice forced me to meet his eyes.

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